The present invention relates generally to print media, and in particular to print media having a stretchable portion.
Imaging devices, e.g., inkjet printers, laser printers, plotters, copiers, facsimile machines or multi-function devices, use marking materials, e.g., ink or toner, to print text, graphics and other images onto print media. The print media may be of a variety of types, commonly including paper, card stock, transparencies, envelopes, photographic print stock, cloth, etc. Some common forms of print media include cut-sheet stock, roll stock, tractor-feed stock and fan-fold stock. The chosen form is generally dictated by the imaging device in terms of what it is designed to use. For example, an imaging device designed for cut-sheet stock will generally be unable to handle roll stock or tractor-feed stock. However, it may be able to use fan-fold stock.
The print media generally share some common characteristics. They are flexible, with some being more flexible than others. This is due primarily to the weight of the stock. For example, photographic print stock and card stock are typically stiffer than standard paper stock. Being flexible, the print media can be folded or curled. However, print media exhibits a degree of rigidity in the plane of the printable surface, i.e., when stressed in a direction parallel to the plane of the printable surface, the print media will tend to maintain its dimensions.
A degree of rigidity a desirable characteristic in that a more accurate reproduction of the desired image is attainable if the print media does not deform in the plane of the printable surface as it is fed through or otherwise processed by the imaging device. However, this degree of rigidity also limits the uses of the resulting output image.
For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below that will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for alternative types of print media.
Methods and print media for producing stretchable images are described herein. A print media having a first sheet that is elastic about a plane of its printable surface is adhered to a second sheet that is rigid about the plane of the printable surface. These two sheets are separable such that the first sheet may be separated from the second sheet after transferring the desired image to the printable surface. By transferring an image to the printable surface of the first sheet, and by subsequently removing the second sheet, a stretchable image is produced.
For one embodiment, the invention provides a print media for use in an imaging device. The print media includes a first sheet having a printable surface and a second surface opposite the printable surface. The first sheet is deformable about a plane of the printable surface. The print media further includes a second sheet adhered to the second surface of the first sheet. The second sheet is rigid about the plane of the printable surface and the first sheet is separable from the second sheet.
For another embodiment, the invention provides a print media for use in an imaging device. The print media includes a carrier layer, an elastomeric layer and an adhesive layer interposed between the carrier layer and the elastomeric layer. The side of the elastomeric layer opposite the adhesive layer is adapted to accept marking material and either the carrier layer or the elastomeric layer is adapted to release from the adhesive layer.
For yet another embodiment, the invention provides a method of generating a stretchable image. The method includes generating image data and generating an output image on a printable surface of a print media in response to the image data. The print media includes an elastomeric sheet having the printable surface, the elastomeric sheet being adhered to a carrier layer. The method further includes separating the elastomeric sheet from the carrier layer.
Further embodiments of the invention include apparatus and methods of varying scope.